Federal Executive Council, FEC, yesterday approved $11.174 billion for the construction of a standard-gauge coastal railway from Lagos to Calabar.
It also awarded N6.2 billion and N2.31 billion contracts for the construction of two power substations in Jigawa and Akwa Ibom states.
Addressing journalists at the end of the meeting presided over by the vice president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo at the State House, Abuja, the minister of information and culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed announced that the meeting approved the memo for the ratification of the president’s approval for the award of the contract for the Lagos-Calabar coastal standard-gauge railway.
“This is a very old project, which we inherited. Under the former administration, an approval was given, but nothing was done, but today, the council has given approval to commence the Lagos-Calabar coastal route.”
Mohammed said the rail project is important to the nation’s coastal economy, which is why $11.174 billion is earmarked for it with a completion period of six years.
“This particular route is very important because after the Lagos-Kano route, this Lagos-Calabar coastal route, actually will link all the coastal cities in the country.
“The proposed route alignment is to go from Lagos to Shagamu, Shagamu to Ijebu-Ode, Ijebu-Ode to Ore, Ore to Benin City, Benin to Sapele, Sapele to Warri, Warri to Yenagoa, Yenagoa to Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt to Aba, Aba to Uyo, Uyo to Calabar, Calabar to Akamkpa to Ikom, to Obudu Ranch, with a branch line from Benin City to Asaba, Onitsha Bridge and then Port Harcourt to Onne Deep Seaport,” he said.
Mohammed also stressed that the commitment of the present administration to expanding and consolidating on the rail projects across the country informed FEC’s approval of the funds for work to commence immediately on the Kano-Jibia rail and the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri route.
Also speaking, the minister of power, Mr. Sale Mamman, said the council approved the construction of 2 by 60 MVA 132 33 substation at Gagarawa, Jigawa State, in favour of Messrs Power Control and Appliances Limited in the sum of N154,212,396.05.
“The second one is the award of the contract for the engineering, procurement and construction of 2 by 30 MVA 132 33 substation at Ibiono Ibom, Akwa Ibom State in favour of Messrs YEMEC West Africa Limited in the sum of US$6.2 offshore plus N1.8 billion onshore,” he said.
